


Bonded

by seritha



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27409477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seritha/pseuds/seritha
Summary: I saw the Fleurmione week and got around to it a little late but I decided to do one on my own anyway.What happens when Fleur makes a rash decision that affects not only her life but that of a complete strangers. Hermione's life will never be the same.
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Hermione Granger
Comments: 23
Kudos: 371
Collections: Fleurmione Week 2020





	1. Chapter One

Harry dove into the water, more terrified than he had ever been in his life. The cold water chilled him to the bone. It left him feeling disoriented and confused. That took a second to snap him out of it. 

He began swimming. The gillyweed helped and he moved easily through the water. His wand was strapped to his wrist, in easy access. 

Each stroke brought him closer and closer to his destination. To freeing his friend, the only real friend he’d ever had. His heart raced with adrenaline and fear. Mostly fear. This was what he had to do. This was his goal, his purpose. 

The water grew clearer the closer he got to the center of the lake. He pushed harder and faster than he had before. As he came into the merpeople village, he saw four people suspended in the middle. 

A small, childlike version of Fleur floated on the edge. He could make out Cho Chang and then a Durmstrang boy he’d never seen before. There, next to the little girl, was Hermione. 

Harry swam into the merfolk not taking his eyes off his best friend. He cut the bindings holding her there, wrapping his arm around her. Then he waited, holding her close, to see if the other champions would arrive. 

Out of the darkness came Cedric, closely followed by Viktor. Still, he waited but Fleur was nowhere in sight. Wand drawn, he freed the little girl and swam, dragging both of them with him. 

Harry struggled his way through, their combined weight slowing him up. He pushed deeper and harder until he saw the water clear and light begin to show. That’s when the grindylows attacked. 

Spells flew as Harry fought for his life. Pushing the two to the surface he managed to free himself and swim to the surface. As he broke the surface, he saw Hermione and the little girl. The little girl was wrapped around Hermione, clearly upset as Hermione did her best to calm her. 

“I’ve got her,” Hermione told him. 

“Thanks,” Harry replied as he gasped for more air. 

“She’s terrified,” Hermione said. She began speaking in French, which seemed to calm her down. 

“You speak French?” 

Hermione chuckled. “This coming from the boy who ended up saving two people.” 

Harry shrugged and as the girl calmed the two began swimming to the platform. 

They could hear Fleur screaming from the platform as they grew closer, two of her friends holding her back as she tried to dive into the water for her sister. 

Hermione tried calling to her but was drowned out by the crowd. Harry could only shake his head. 

They arrived at the platform where the girl was pulled out of the water by her distraught sister. The Weasley twins pulled Harry and Hermione from the water, wrapping big, fluffy towels around them. The two huddled together on the platform, watching Fleur dote on her sister. 

“They’re close,” Harry remarked. 

“Yes, they are,” Hermione nodded in agreement. 

The twins, Ginny, and Neville talked to them while everyone waited for the scores. 

They all stopped when they saw Fleur approaching, blue eyes full of determination. The two scrambled to their feet, not sure what the Beauxbatons champion wanted. 

Her face broke into a huge grin and Harry could hear Hermione’s breath catch. He’d have to ask her about that later but now he was faced with a Veela and her beautiful smile. It took him a second to shake off the effect her thrall had on him. 

“Thank you for saving my sister even though she was not yours to save,” Fleur said to Harry. She stepped forward kissing him on each cheek. He felt his face heat up as she did this but he managed to keep his cool. 

Then Fleur turned to Hermione and Harry watched as Hermione seemed to withdraw into herself under the woman’s scrutiny. They locked eyes and Harry felt something shift in the air. It pulsed around and made the hair stand up on his neck. 

“And you,” Fleur began to say her voice thick with emotion. She grabbed Hermione in a tight hug. “Gabrielle told me what you did for her. You saved her. She cannot swim.” 

Hermione’s face turned red and Harry had to hide a chuckle. 

“I didn’t do anything really,” Hermione said. 

“You saved her. For that we are in your debt.” Fleur whispered so only the three of them could hear. 

Fleur pulled away, eyes intent on Hermione. The magical pull filled the space around them. Harry felt it in his gut in a way that usually spelled disaster. Without warning, he felt like the wind got knocked out of him. His eyes went wide as he saw something, he had no answer for. 

Magic came alive, surrounding the two girls in a colorful light display that drowned out the world around him. Everyone would later say they couldn’t see anything only Harry was witness to the event that forever changed his life. 

Hermione and Fleur stayed locked together as he saw magic come from their chests, twining together until it became one. It connected between them, taunt like a bowstring before the lights flashed again, this time blinding even Harry. 

When his vision cleared the two girls were passed out on the ground, hands grasped together, and eyes closed. 

“Hermione! Fleur!” He cried as he ran to where the girls were laying. Harry knelt next to them, eyes full of concern and his hands trembling. He had no idea what to do. Vaguely, he heard Gabrielle calling her sister’s name as she knelt next to Harry. 

The two shook them but got no response. 

Madam Pomfrey pushed her way to them, quickly using spells to see what had happened. 

“They’re okay Mister Potter,” she told him. 

“What’s wrong with them?” 

“I’m not sure but we’ll know soon enough.” She raised her wand again, levitating the pair. 

Harry felt a small hand take his and turned to find Gabrielle looking up at him with wide frightened eyes. Harry nodded. Whatever was going on wasn’t normal. Leading Gabrielle to the hospital wing he didn’t even bother staying to hear the scores. He was terrified for his best friend. 

McGonagall was already with Madam Pomfrey, the two witches were trying to figure out what was going on. Harry moved to take a seat, knowing better by now to stay out of the mediwitches way. 

He took a seat and as soon as he did, Gabrielle climbed onto his lap. He held her close knowing she was just as scared as he was. 

McGonagall and Pomfrey worked over the two girls form and Harry could see them try to separate them but it only led to convulsions from the two girls. Gabrielle started to cry when she saw it happen and the noise made the two witches stop trying to separate them. 

After what felt like an eternity, McGonagall approached the two. 

“Mr. Potter, Miss Granger and Miss Delacour are doing just fine. Whatever magic is keeping them together we don’t understand but they both appear to be healthy. I’m on my way to speak to the Headmaster, you two may stay but touching them creates a shock to the person who touches them so I suggest keeping a slight distance.” 

Harry nodded his head, still unable to form words. This was his best friend, his sister and he felt helpless. Gabrielle scampered off this lap as the Professor left the room. She pulled a chair up next to her sister’s bed and immediately took her hand. Harry was about to call out to the young girl but nothing happened to her. Shaking his head, he did the same thing on the other side next to Hermione. 

Cautiously, he reached out to take her hand, afraid of getting shocked but hoping like Gabrielle he wouldn’t be harmed. When nothing happened, he sighed in relief and settled down next to her. Neither spoke, content to wait out whatever was going on. 

He knew something important had happened, something life changing. He’d seen the magic first hand when it had happened and something inside told him that Hermione and Fleur would be okay. 

The world seemed to fade around him, he didn’t notice the others that came and went, all he could focus on was Hermione’s even breathing. 

Eventually he felt a hand take his, turning he was met with a pair of worried brown eyes. Ginny held his hand in hers, giving him comfort he didn’t know he needed. Shooting her a wan smile, he turned back to his vigil. He felt Ginny rest her head in his shoulder and smiled to himself. They stayed silent and after a while Harry began to relax. Resting his head on Ginny’s, he drifted off the sleep.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleur's point of view. I know I'm posting this all at once but I wanted to post it when I was finished. I don't own any of this just enjoying writing it.

Fleur was unsure where she was and why everything was white. 

You’re safe. 

A voice sounded into the emptiness. The voice was familiar, one she knew almost as well as her own. Her Veela. It was speaking to her, calming her. 

Where am I? She questioned. 

Safe. Recovering. 

Recovering from what? 

Then a blurry image began to form. Slowly, as if coming into focus, she saw herself standing with Hermione. She watched in awe filled terror as she bonded with the brunette. 

What have we done? She questioned in shock. 

We have bonded. 

Why? We don’t even know her! 

Because she is strong. She saved our sister. We owed her a debt. 

That doesn’t mean we bind ourselves to a complete stranger! Maman will be furious when she finds out what we have done. 

She is strong. 

Fleur groaned at her Veela’s one track mindset. 

Hermione would hate her. Being linked to someone she knew nothing about. It was rare for Veela to bond. It was a powerful magic that left the pair vulnerable during the bonding process. Veela do not share magic with non Veela, it was unheard of. 

She is strong. 

Yes, I understand but she is not Veela. 

Does not matter. She is perfect. 

You can’t know that. 

Feel. Look. 

Fleur took a deep breath and fell into her Veela magic. It consumed her, lighting her with her powerful magic. Something she was familiar with but this time was different. Yes, she was strong for a Veela but what she found was stronger than what she had been previously. She could feel every beat of Hermione’s heart and with each one she felt the connection. It beat steadily, wrapping itself around her. Filling her with strength and determination. 

Her magic was a lighter gold than Fleur’s. As their magic twined endlessly it faded seamlessly together. 

Perfect. 

Stunned, Fleur pulled from the connection of her Veela and felt tears burn her eyes. Hermione was perfect, their magic compliments of each other. Still, they had stolen her future. Created a bond that nothing could break. 

A connection that she would have discovered in her own she discovered because of her Veela. 

But this, this was something she had no idea what to do with. They were connected, entwined forever. She could feel the increase in her magic, feel the way her magic was changing. It was beautiful. She could only hope that Hermione wouldn’t hate her for what had just happened. 

She felt the weight of her body begin to increase, the white began to fade, and she knew she was waking up. 

She is strong. 

Was the last thing she heard before she woke fully. 

She blinked away the irritation the bright lights brought her. It was easy to tell that Gabrielle was holding her hand but she was more concerned with the weight in her other hand. Hermione’s hand. 

“You’re awake,” Gabrielle cried happily as she threw herself onto her sister, tears of joy running down her face. 

Fleur did her best to hold her sister while maintaining contact with Hermione the whole time. She knew that she couldn’t let her go, wouldn’t let her go. They had days before they would be able to separate fully. Gabrielle spoke to her but little of it registered because she had felt Hermione squeeze her hand. She was waking up too. 

“Gabrielle, I need you to calm down. I’m alright but you might frighten Hermione.” 

Gabrielle nodded her head in understanding. Climbing off her sister, Fleur turned to meet the surprised eyes of Hermione. She didn’t speak, couldn’t speak. All she could see was the world spinning in those deep brown eyes. They held her captivated and she felt a pull unlike anything she’d ever felt before. Hermione must have felt it too because she pulled away suddenly, yelping as pain shot up her arm. Fleur grabbed her hand quickly, easing both their pain. 

“You cannot let go,” Fleur told her. “It will hurt every time you do.” 

“Why?” Hermione questioned. 

“That is a question that I can answer,” a melodious voice brought both of their attention to the foot of their shared bed. 

Fleur’s eyes widened with fear as she saw her mother waiting for her. 

“Maman,” she said thickly. 

“Mrs. Delacour,” Hermione stuttered out. It was clear that she was overwhelmed by the situation. 

“Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, Gabrielle, if you all will give us a minute there is much to discuss.” 

Harry and Ginny nodded. They smiled at the two before Harry took Gabrielle’s hand, the two students offering the escort her to the carriage, to which she enthusiastically agreed too. Apolline shook her head at the three of them but said nothing on the matter. 

“You must have a lot of questions,” Apolline began. 

Hermione nodded her head. She let go of Fleur’s hand, yelped and grabbed her hand again. 

Apolline pulled up a chair and waited for the two to figure out how to sit next to each other all while maintaining contact with the other. Hermione seemed bashful at the idea of needing to remain in contact with Fleur, while Fleur looked shell shocked by what was going on. 

“My daughter understands what is going on, though she may not fully understand the consequences of her actions. Whatever we talk about will not be able to leave this room. You can tell a few things but overall, the magic that is now a part of you Miss Granger will prevent you from divulging secrets that are a part of Veela culture. I am Apolline Delacour, current head of the Delacour clan. You, I am told, are a fourth year Hogwarts student and one of the brightest witches this school has seen in decades.” 

Hermione flushed at the unexpected praise but found herself unable to say anything to the imposing Veela. 

“Now, there are, of course, many questions that you have but I am going to give you the facts first and then you are more than welcome to ask any questions that you like. First thing I am going to explain is going to be hard for you to understand. I, like most of my family, are Veela. It does not matter how little or how much of your blood is Veela, you are and always will be a Veela. We are magical creatures descendants of Siren. We are gifted with beauty, strength, and intelligence. My daughter, while considered to your country, is what one would call a quarter Veela. That does not dilute her blood any. She, like all of us, has a Veela, which grants her magic she is not quite prepared to use yet. That is what brings us to what happened today. For reasons I do not yet understand, my daughter and her Veela have chosen to bond with you. That is why you two are unable to not be separated by any means until the bond is complete.” 

She paused, watching the way Fleur cringed and Hermione’s eyes grew impossibly wide. Her mouth opened to say something but no sound came forward. Apolline took this time to continue with her explanation. 

“You see, it is rare, rarer than you could understand, but Veela do not often bond with a human. We are rather stubborn that way and it is unheard of for a Veela to bond with a non Veela. What this means for the two of you, I do not yet know, but we have time to figure that out as things progress. The first stage of the bond has already been completed. This is where the Veela and her intended create the bond. Somewhere on a level that you do not yet understand, had to agree to this bond. When the bond was created it began to weave your magic and souls together. Creating a link that nothing short of death would break and even then, we are unsure if that breaks a bond. We have not had a bonded Veela pair in centuries and that is what worries us all the most. We thought the practice was no longer something that Veela were capable of making. My daughter, while having always been an over achiever, seems to have broken that thought with her bonding with you. I was unsure of what happened when Madame Maxime flooed me to inform me that something was very wrong with Fleur but after a few quick spells I was able to determine what had happened. 

“You two are currently in stage two of the bonding. The constant need for contact. Now, this can last hours to days and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You are going to need to stay together while this is happening. As time progresses, you will be able to move a part from each other but only a short distance and even that can be taking on the body. The reason for this is that your body will need to adjust to the new influx of power that is going to be happening. Your magical cores will expand and your magical abilities will increase. You are young, far too young for this to have happened to you but there is nothing that can be done about it. You are, in essence, married to Fleur. This is a lot to take in and I understand that you have concerns. 

“Now that you are married to my daughter you are given all the protection that Clan Delacour can gift to you. It is a great honor as most, well all, those married into the Clan do not have the level of protection that you will have. You are, essentially, a part of the Clan now. That means you have every right to learn all about the Clan. Which, I highly recommend as there are things about Veela that you will come to understand now that you are married. During this time, you may be prone to fights and arguments. Your magic is volatile as will both of your tempers. This is normal, it is why you will feel the need to be in constant contact with one another. You will learn more about each other than you ever thought possible. Becoming one in a way that is rarer than anyone can be. Now, I can only tell you how this has affected Veela bonded pairs. What will happen to you is a mystery. 

“Bonded Veela pairs have been known to sense each other. To feel each other's emotions no matter the distance that separates them. They have a sixth sense as to the whereabouts of their bonded whenever they are around. You will become protective and possessive of Fleur as she will become with you. Again, your magic will be stronger than it was before and will continue to grow with time. Veela bonded pairs have even been known to Apparate to their partner in times of dire situations.” 

Apolline lapsed into silence allowing the information to sink in. While Fleur knew the basis of the bond that she created she did not know how far reaching the consequences would be. They both had a lot of information to process. Neither girl spoke, just gazed at Apolline as if they had never seen her before, which, for Hermione, was the case. Fleur had tears in her eyes and Apolline was sure that she was regretting her hasty decision. Apolline was curious to understand why her daughter would perform such risky magic. 

“Fleur, I believe, now would be a good time to explain exactly what happened today for all our sake.” 

Hermione turned to face Fleur, her eyes curious more than anything else, as if she was waiting for this explanation before she decided how she would react to the situation. 

Fleur kept her head down, struggling to find the words that would best explain the situation. The seconds dragged on before Fleur finally lifted her head, tears streaming down her face. 

“It...The...” Fleur began before stopping. She cleared her throat, attempting to get her emotions under control. 

Hermione squeezed her hand, trying to give her some comfort despite their current situation. 

“The second task began and I was terrified,” Fleur continued. “You know she cannot swim and as I had no idea what the outcome of the tournament would be, I was afraid for Gabrielle’s safety. Once the task began I was desperate to reach her. To get to her before the time was up. Then, the Grindylows attacked me and I was unable to finish the contest. I was beside myself with the need to get to Gabrielle. They did not explain that they would be taking someone, let alone take Gabrielle. When I saw Gabrielle surface with Hermione, I was trying to get back into the water but they would not let me. They did not understand that she could not swim and I watched as Hermione seemed to calm her down and held onto her as they swam back to the platform. No one would let me go no matter how hard I struggled. She is my little sister and it is my job to protect her and no one seemed to understand that. I was not in my right mind. I was only worried for Gabrielle. Hermione brought her back and she told me what Hermione had done for her. Saved her when she had no idea that Gabrielle was in danger. I went to thank Harry and Hermione for saving her. I do not know what came over me. I could feel the Veela rise inside of me. I explained to Hermione that I owed her a debt for saving Gabrielle’s life. Then she struck. I had no control, no idea what was happening. It all happened so fast and I awoke to white light. She explained to me what she had done. That she had bonded to Hermione. That she was strong, perfect for us and that was why she did it. Created this bond.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter, hope it wasn't a let down. I haven't written in years it was nice to play in this world again.

Hermione sat in silence as she continued to gaze at Fleur. Letting the words sink in. That Fleur’s Veela had bonded to her. Had chosen her. Called her perfect. How could this be happening? What was the meaning of this? What did she feel? How could she wrap her mind around what she was being told? Between Apolline and Fleur, there was a lot of things she had to digest. To understand. 

So many questions. 

“Miss Granger?” Apolline called, gaining the younger girl’s attention. 

“Yes?” 

“I am sure you have a few questions for me.” 

“You said that we are married. How does that work if I am not even of age?” 

Apolline nodded, not at all surprised by her first question. 

“You see, your souls are bonded, and if you checked the records at the Ministry, you would see that you are now Hermione Delacour. Veela heritage wins out no matter who you marry. The magic is binding, unchanging, and that means that despite your age you are now considered to be a legal adult in the eyes of the Ministry.” 

Hermione thought this over before nodding her head. 

“How could her Veela bond with me without her permission?” 

“Veela, while a part of us, are magical creatures. They, like Fleur, have their own magical abilities that we have spent lifetimes studying. Again, we are often caught by surprise when our Veela make such huge decisions without our permission. It does not need it and like with you, on some level Fleur had to accept the bond. Whether by fate or design both of you chose to bond whether you realized it or not. You both found the other a perfect fit.” 

“We’ve never spoken to each other before today, how could we make a choice that momentous without having any concrete evidence to that fact?” 

“Magic is a creature all its own. Somehow, during the bonding process, when Fleur’s magic reached for yours, you accepted her. Your magic, and you, chose her as much as she chose you. There could be a million reasons why this happened but that is something I do not have an answer for.” 

“Why do Veela only bond with Veela?” 

Apolline smiled at the inquisitive girl. Asking questions that most people wouldn’t think of asking. She wanted to understand the basics of their magic in a way that she couldn’t even get her own daughters to be interested in. 

“Because, before now, we were unsure that a human’s magic would be compatable with that of a Veela. It takes a strong amount of magic to create the bond. It drains your magical core to almost nothing and that leaves you both vulnerable for a while. You will only be able to perform simple spells until the bond is complete. It was dangerous and foolish to create a bond around so many people with a thousand things that could have gone wrong. When she created the bond and you had no accepted, it could have caused a magical backlash that could have injured a lot of people.” 

“What reason would my magic have chosen her?” 

Fleur felt a chill run down her spine at the question and she worried that Hermione’s anger would begin to show. She hadn’t so much as looked at Fleur as she questioned her mother and she wondered what the brunette's feelings on the whole situation were. It was true, they knew nothing of each other but what they had learned from a distance. 

Apolline cocked her head as she thought the question over and how she would answer. 

“What do you know of my daugher?” 

“Not much. Mainly, that she is strong, intelligent, and resourceful. She was chosen by the Goblet after all to compete in the competition which says something. I know that she is Veela, that she doesn’t like English food, and complains about the smallest thing.” 

Fleur huffed but decided not to comment. 

Apolline chuckled. 

“My daughter is not one to keep her opinion to herself when she doesn’t like something. Regardless, you understand that she is more than a pretty face which is a good start. When you saw her after the second task, what were you thinking?” 

“I was thinking that she really loves her sister. That she was so afraid for her that she was fighting through the crowd to get to her. She showed real emotion when she came to thank Harry and I for rescuing her sister. That couldn’t have been easy.” 

“And when she said that she owed you a debt?” 

“That she didn’t owe me anything. I would never have let something happen to Gabrielle. She never should have been involved in the tournament. They didn’t even explain what was about to happen to us.” 

“That is something I will be discussing with Madame Maxime and Headmaster Dumbledore. I agreed to let my daughter go, not to be a part of the tournament. More importantly, how did you feel when the bond was being created?” 

“That I had underestimated her. That she was more than I thought she was.” 

“It was that thought, that idea, that one brief second where you made your decision to accept Fleur for who she was not what she showed to the world. That is when my daughter chose you for your heroics though it was not your responsibility to save my youngest daughter. Magic comes in a lot of forms.” 

“This bond, what will happen when Fleur has to return to France?” 

“That is something Fleur will have to decide on.” 

Hermione nodded her head. Her emotions were a jumbled mess and she was unsure of what she felt for the French woman. Married to a complete stranger. How did she always get herself into these kinds of situations? Though, if she was being honest with herself, there were a lot of worse people to be bonded to. She hadn’t told anyone her recent discovery of her interest in women and it was a shock to find herself married to one. It was too much to process for the fifteen-year-old student but process she would. She was Hermione Granger after all. 

“How will I learn about Veela culture?” 

Apolline chuckled. 

“Fleur will give you her books, that she is supposed to be reading, and we will start from there. If you are willing, we’d like to have you and your family come stay with us during the summer where you will meet the Clan and my mother will teach you some of the finer points about Veela culture.” 

“My parents? What am I going to tell them?” Hermione’s eyes grew wide at the prospect of explaining to her Muggle parents that their daughter was now married. 

“If you’d like, I can come with you to explain the situation to your parents.” 

“They’re Muggles, they have a hard enough time understanding my world now. I can’t imagine it would be any easier to explain that I am married to a Veela.” 

“Would they worry that you are married to a woman?” 

“My parents are very forward thinking; I think that is something they wouldn’t mind.” Hermione admitted. 

“Is that a worry for you?” 

“No,” Hermione said softly. 

“Now then, I have some business to discuss, my daughter should be able to answer any further questions that you may have. It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Granger and if you have any further questions you are more than welcome to owl me whenever you feel the need. It’s an honor to have you in our family. I look forward to getting to know you better.” 

“Wait,” Hermione called. “How am I going to explain this to my friends?” 

“Tell them that you are bonded to Fleur after saving Gabrielle’s life. That you will be spending time with her as your magic settles and that you are, well, married. Everything else you cannot speak of the Veela magic will prevent you from discussing anything else to anyone outside of the Clan.” 

Hermione groaned. She wouldn’t be able to explain all of this to her closest friends and her explanation would only lead to more questions. She let go of Fleur’s hand to rub her face and the shock it gave her left her gasping as she desperately reached for Fleur’s hand. Fleur gripped her hand tightly, trying to ease both of their pain. 

“Sorry,” Hermione gasped out. 

“We do not always have to hold hands, as long as we are touching then we will be fine.” 

Hermione nodded but didn’t release Fleur’s hand. 

The two young women lapsed into silence. Neither sure what to say to the other. Fleur was terrified that Hermione would hate and Hermione was worried that Fleur regretted bonding with her. 

Fleur was about to open her mouth when Madam Pomfrey entered the room. 

“Well, it seems you two are stable. Nothing wrong with you. Madame Delacour told me that you should be fine to be released. With that being said, Professor McGonagall is waiting in her office for you two.” 

They nodded as they began to get up, realizing how hard things were going to be now that they were attached to each other but they managed to get off the bed without either one of them falling. 

Hermione felt nervous as she left the Hospital Wing, wondering if she would run into anyone on her way down. She was just getting a grip on her reality and didn’t need to deal with teenage drama if her fellow students saw her holding the Beauxbaton’s Champions hand. Thankfully, they didn’t run into anyone as they headed for the Deputy Headmistress’s office. Neither spoke on their walk, content with staying silent for the time being. 

Hermione knocked on the door, it swung open immediately so they could enter. Fleur was nervous, unsure what this meeting was about. 

McGonagall looked at their linked hands and waved for them to take their seats. 

“I have been informed of your current situation. I understand that this is unusual and that is why we are going to be making some changes. Miss Granger, your things are being moved to the Beauxbatons carriage as we speak as you will be staying there until the remainder of term. Now, we have no idea how long it will take before this spell wears off and allows you two to be separated. Instead of attending your regular classes, you will be taking different courses. We’ve devised new time tables for both of you. You will be using a classroom on the second floor and each of your Professors will meet you there. I cannot help with any rumors that may start when students see the two of you but we are doing what we can to accommodate your current situation. 

“Now, Miss Gra-Delacour, you are now an adult in the eyes of the Ministry and this school. You have the same privileges that is awarded to our other students who have come of age. That means you are free to visit Hogsmeade on any weekend you choose and are eligible to learn how to Apparate. You are also allowed to perform magic outside of school.” 

Hermione nodded in stunned silence. Would the surprises never cease? 

“You are free to return to the carriage,” McGonagall said as she handed them their new timetables. They nodded as they began to make their way out of the office. “Oh and Mrs. Delacour,” McGonagall called. The two girls stopped to face her. “I hope you take care of her; she is one of my best students after all.” 

Fleur nodded her head and they left.’ 

“That was intimidating,” Fleur said softly, speaking for the first time. 

“That was sweet of her.” 

Fleur smiled and nodded her head, still a bit intimidated. 

They headed out of the castle and to the carriage. Only a few students were sitting in the common room when they entered. 

“That’s my Clan,” Fleur whispered to Hermione as they spotted the five girls and Gabrielle. 

They took one look at the pair before bursting into happy squeals. The group ran to them, pulling them into hugs and kissing their cheeks. Hermione was overwhelmed by their affection but smiled none the less. She had never just been automatically accepted into a group like she had with the Veela. It left her feeling a little bashful. They cooed over them and asked questions of the pair. Fleur took the lead and calmed the group down before dragging Hermione from the room. Once they were behind closed doors, they both seemed to relax. Hermione looked around the large room, spotting her own things among those of Fleur’s. 

“I am sorry about them, this bonding is big news,” Fleur explained. “But they love you,” she said quickly. “Not just because we are bonded but because of what you did for Gabrielle.” 

“I’ve never been so accepted before,” Hermione admitted quietly. 

“I accept you.” 

“I can tell,” she teased lightly as she held up their joined hands. 

Fleur blushed but smiled. She was still so unsure of Hermione’s feelings about the situation. 

“How...how are you feeling about all of this?” 

“Overwhelmed but I suppose there are worst things than being bonded to a Veela. A gorgeous one at that.” 

“You think I’m gorgeous?” 

Hermione snorted and shook her head. “Oh no, I’m not saying it again, you don’t need me to stroke your ego.” 

Fleur chuckled. 

“I was afraid,” Fleur finally admitted. 

“Afraid?” 

“I thought you would hate me for what I had done.” 

“I’m not happy about it but I’m not unhappy about it. Being best friend’s with Harry you learn to take the good with the bad and life is always full of unsuspected surprises.” 

Fleur nodded and gently tugged on Hermione’s hand. She let go of Hermione’s hand to pull the younger girl into her arms. Hermione went willingly, taking the comfort from the older girl. 

“Thank you,” Hermione said after a minute. 

“For what?” 

“Accepting me.” 

Fleur smiled, kissing the top of her head. 

Hermione woke to the feeling of a weight on her chest. It took her brain a second to realize it was Fleur who was spooned behind her, holding her close. This was not an uncommon occurrence. They had woken up like this for the last week. With Fleur wrapped around her, holding her close. 

In the last week she had fielded questions from her friends, explaining as best she could that she was not Hermione Granger but Hermione Delacour now. Which had caused quite the stir in the school body. She was never without Fleur; they were still very much attached. At first it had been awkward; they had the do everything together. Their first time in the bathroom had left them both red in the face. It was worse when they had to shower, each having to help the other and still maintain contact but eventually they had gotten used to it. There was little they could do about it and Hermione had been rendered utterly speechless the first time she had seen Fleur naked. If she hadn’t been sure before she liked girls she certainly knew now. Fleur was utterly gorgeous. They needed to figure out the bond before the final task and after a week they were feeling a little hopeless. 

She was starting the really like Fleur, which she figured was a good thing. They had argued multiple times, having heated discussions about all kinds of things. Then they’d found common ground and resulted in late night conversations and nights cuddling on their bed. 

Their bed. It was still a hard concept for Hermione to grasp. 

Fleur’s arm tightened around her as if sensing she was awake. A soft kiss was placed on the back of her neck. Hermione smiled. She had started to grow used to Fleur’s affections. It had started slow but was increasing with every day. 

Hermione rolled over to face the blonde, watching her sleep. She was beautiful and she loved these quiet moments in the morning where she could observe the older girl without worry. 

“It’s rude to stare,” Fleur mumbled but a smile graced her lips. 

“You’re beautiful.” 

“Thank you.” 

Hermione chuckled as she wrapped her arm around Fleur, burying her face against Fleur’s chest. Fleur hummed her approval, pulling the other girl closer. They lay in silence for a few moments before Hermione lifted her head and kissed Fleur. The older girl was stunned but didn’t hesitate to kiss her back. Neither of them could see the magic glowing around them as they kissed for the first time. They were interrupted when the door was thrown open and Gabrielle burst into the room. The two sprang a part as Gabrielle landed in the middle of the bed. 

Then they both froze, gazing at each other from the either side of the bed. 

“We did it,” Hermione breathed in awe. 

“We did.” Fleur remarked with a smile on her face.


End file.
